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Considering the profanity filter blocks out donkey-cave and cigarette, neither of which are words I find particularly offensive (although others may, which is the point). My feeling is that the word "rape" should be filtered out too.
I may be being overly sensitive, but I feel that it could be quite offensive to people and more to the point, it's rather distasteful in general. The idea of rape certainly brings up far more emotions upon reading it than the word donkey-cave so I believe that the filter should be at least equal.

Not sure if this is the right place, but thanks for reading.

I think you're being overly sensitive.

Yeah, otherwise we can't have threads discussing raping of people, about wich the internet seems to be fond of.

The word replaced by donkey cave is, in my opinion, barely offensive and despite Dakka being a family site it probably wouldn't offend many people. However, I can see the word being hugely overused if unblocked. More importantly, the expletives that can be created with the addition of the word in question are more offensive and not suitable for a family site.

The word being replaced by cigarette is a terrible and hateful word. My homosexual friends have used that word around me and I around them but always in jest and in a friendly environment. I, however, would not dare say that word to a stranger and that goes for public forums too. As always, context and audience is key. Unblocking this word is never going to happen, it's an intolerant and ignorant way of expressing yourself... unless you want a cigarette.

As for filtering out the word rape. I'm sorry but it's a terrible idea. The word may and does stir negative emotion but it is not an expletive or negative word. The word is a necessary term used to describe a sexual assault and has never meant to offend or be expletive. If you think the word is being used offensively then post the links to these events here in this thread so they can be dealt with and in future hit the yellow triangle of friendship.

 Casey's Law wrote:


The word being replaced by cigarette is a terrible and hateful word.

I don't find it offensive at all. Growing up in the UK it's not even close to being a negative word. I'm aware of the difference in dialects, but it's kind of my point. I don't find that offensive, but some people do and therefore it's filtered.

The word may and does stir negative emotion but it is not an expletive or negative word.

There is no positive use for the word outside a factual descriptive context. Even then there are replacements akin to anal sphincter. The idea isn't to stop people from using it, but to limit the context it's used in. I loathe seeing "my X raped their Y" it's frankly repulsive. I think that filtering it would limit this. I could be wrong though.

In any case, I brought it up to see what people's opinions were, So far the response is clearly negative towards it, and despite only a very small sample size, it's not looking like it's a good idea.

If you so dislike it, and I'm not saying this to be dismissive but rather to attempt to be helpful - you can:

1.) Install Firefox
2.) Install Greasemonkey
3.) Install this word replacement script, and use it to replace any word you like with any other word you like, on any website you browse.

I'm sick of teenage boys going on about rape, grown-ups rarely have use of such a word. I don't know what it could be changed to though.

And it's already pretty unfair that as a British poster I can't use a *very* common word for a cigarette. So I agree with the OP.

Also as a British poster, I have never once found a situation on Dakka that required the use of the slang for cigarette isntead of the word 'cigarette' - and I've rarely ever found a situation that required the word 'cigarette'. So I don't see that as unfair at all.

 Griddlelol wrote:

 Casey's Law wrote:
The word being replaced by cigarette is a terrible and hateful word.

I don't find it offensive at all. Growing up in the UK it's not even close to being a negative word. I'm aware of the difference in dialects, but it's kind of my point. I don't find that offensive, but some people do and therefore it's filtered.

Really? I'm from Britain too and I've never been anywhere in the UK where it was deemed okay to use that word In fact I've lived in places where vicious assaults have occurred because of that word and the intolerant homophobia it incites.

Using the word as a term for cigarette on the other hand is fine in all of those places but that doesn't mean it should be unfiltered. I use the word for cigarette occasionally and it doesn't remotely mean anything else in that context. We can filter the word but we can't filter how people use it.

If you want the word unfiltered to use as term for cigarette try another word... like cigarette. I prefer 'snout'. If you want it unfiltered to use in the other sense then I urge you to reconsider using such a vile, hateful word.
If someone was to hatefully call my any of my gay friends by that term my fury would be devastating.

 Griddlelol wrote:

The word may and does stir negative emotion but it is not an expletive or negative word.

There is no positive use for the word outside a factual descriptive context. Even then there are replacements akin to anal sphincter. The idea isn't to stop people from using it, but to limit the context it's used in. I loathe seeing "my X raped their Y" it's frankly repulsive. I think that filtering it would limit this. I could be wrong though.

As I said in my detailed and, intended to be helpful, response; the word is necessary for use inside the appropriate context. Filtering it would make those legitimate conversations difficult.
Also, as I said before, if someone uses the word inappropriately then hit the yellow triangle of friendship so they can be dealt with and the text can be removed from Dakka. Again, as I said before, if you feel this is happening too often then you need to provide some links to prove your concern.


I'm trying to help you with detailed responses but it looks like you skimmed my initial post. To be taken seriously I would advise concise answers addressing any concerns those responding have. If you can answer all of the negatives brought up and prove your point then maybe something can be done. If you aren't trying to answer the concerns and prove your point then it suggests you aren't actually that bothered about it in the first place.

Just to clarify, I'm trying to help here and I'm raising legitimate concerns. I have no intention of naysaying or being combative.

 Casey's Law wrote:


As for filtering out the word rape. I'm sorry but it's a terrible idea. The word may and does stir negative emotion but it is not an expletive or negative word. The word is a necessary term used to describe a sexual assault and has never meant to offend or be expletive. If you think the word is being used offensively then post the links to these events here in this thread so they can be dealt with and in future hit the yellow triangle of friendship.

I agree with the underlined part. It seems to be used more and more lately by immature people talking about a butt-kicking they received from an army list or unit that they deem to be over-powered. I flag these posts when I see them.

 Griddlelol wrote:
Considering the profanity filter blocks out donkey-cave and cigarette, neither of which are words I find particularly offensive (although others may, which is the point). My feeling is that the word "rape" should be filtered out too.

The filter is there to catch the more common swearing, or those personal labels that tend to get misapplied or misused and serve no purpose other than to rile people up.

It's not there to filter out words that refer to unpleasant things. If we start down the road of banning any word that has negative connotations, there's not going to be very much conversation left.

Others have covered the major points already, but the reason donkey cave is filtered is primarily a tribute to an older version of dakka which had very aggressive filtering, and people were so amused by donkey cave being an automated replacement that it has now got official cult status and is left in as an in-joke and tribute to our longest serving members.

Other terms might not be offensive in some parts of the world, but are more offensive in others, and if there is a suitable alternative that does not break the flow of text, we tend to push it instead.

Dakka has caused me to use feth as an actual swear word in real life...

 d-usa wrote:
Dakka has caused me to use feth as an actual swear word in real life...

Same, along with gak.

DakkaDakka - Making you a better person!

I think Rule #1 should cover this in most cases. People talking about how Heldrakes rape Marines, or how casual players get raped at tournaments are being extremely impolite. I mean, using emotionally-charged vulgarities to refer to gaming on an all-ages forum seems impolite, but I guess I'm just being sensitive?

It wouldn't bug me quite as much if it were just kids. I've been on XBL, I know kids are going to say stupid things. But it's not just kids, it is often grown adults who should know better. The fact that this language is accepted (and used) by admins on this site is shameful. But thank goodness we're filtering out the unspeakable horror that is...the S-word. Gak indeed.

I don't think discussion of rape should be off the table by any means, nor do I think we necessarily need to filter all instances of the word out. But if mentioning 'salt' on a rumors post is cause for a warning, you'd think trivializing rape would be similarly frowned upon.

Distinguished gentlemen of the internet should know better than to use rape anyway, the correct term is PWNED.

Over-sensitive.

Rape itself is just a term for having forceful sexual intercourse with someone, it's not offensive at all. It's the same as "murder" - this ain't offensive either.

Motion dismissed!

The simple thing I'm going to say is that language evolves. For example, 'gay' is evolving to be a negative term in the eyes of youth, as is 'rape'. I admit it's stupid, but then again, gay being used to refer to homosexuals was also an evolution of language.

If you feel it is a completely inappropriate use of the word, flag it, but I would say that you have to see that language is always changing. Remember when people said 'sick' and 'rad'?

What would you even replace "rape" with?

"Surprise sex" is the classic I've always heard, but frankly, I think that's worse.

"Hug". Let's go with "hug".

 daedalus wrote:
What would you even replace "rape" with?

"Surprise sex" is the classic I've always heard, but frankly, I think that's worse.

"Hug". Let's go with "hug".

That Helldrake really butthugged my Vets!

cigarette.


edit: just seeing.

 BlapBlapBlap wrote:

 daedalus wrote:
What would you even replace "rape" with?

"Surprise sex" is the classic I've always heard, but frankly, I think that's worse.

"Hug". Let's go with "hug".

That Helldrake really butthugged my Vets!

Alien's 'facehuggers' just took on a darker tone.

An accurate term though...

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 d-usa wrote:
Dakka has caused me to use feth as an actual swear word in real life...

Same, along with gak.

DakkaDakka - Making you a better person!

Excellent

You know what needs to be added to the filter?

The proper word for feth + ery.

I would just come out and say it for clarity, but I'm worried there may be a hammer of some sort near by.

EDIT: I am not a necromancer. This thread has only been unattended for 13 days.

I would like to add my vote to have the rape word added to the filter.

Consulting Webster copyright 1987: rape: (1) the crime of having intercourse with a woman forcibly and with out her consent (2) the plundering (of a city etc) as in warfare- raped, raping (1) to commit rape on;ravish (2) to plunder or destroy

Yes, to plunder or destroy would fit without a doubt. However, mabye its because I have seen too many SVU shows, or maybe its because I know a few woman who it has happened to or maybe because I have a daughter BUT i dont think this word has any need to be used on a gaming forum.

Perhaps I may offer a suggestion for the filter. I am yet to play against one but based on the comments above, somehow I think a helldrake is perhaps the most associated model that can be guilty of this act. So perhaps 'helldrake love' can be the new word.

Once again, the purpose of the filter is not to remove words that refer to unpleasant things. It is to filter out commonly used offensive language.

While there is certainly not a lot of reason to use the word 'rape' in a wargaming context, it is not in itself generally considered an offensive word, so there is no reason to add it to the filter.

If you see a word being used in a way that you consider offensive, just report the post and we'll deal with it as seems appropriate.

Rape really shouldn't be added to the filter. The word "rape" is a neutral word. Now i agree that rape really doesn't have any place on a wargaming forum barring outside of certain off-topic threads. That still doesn't mean it should be filtered though.


Also let us not point out that the definition you used defines rape as "the crime of having intercourse with a woman forcibly and with out her consent". You want to be PC yet you use a sexualy biased definition. Nice.



Edit- Oh look at that, beaten to punch by Insaniak.

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 d-usa wrote:
Dakka has caused me to use feth as an actual swear word in real life...

Same, along with gak.

DakkaDakka - Making you a better person!

same cig here. And donkey cave. I personally never have found anything offensive. Even before the military words couldn't bother me it was someone's tone of voice. If you're getting upset over someone on the internet there is an obvious overbuilt tension that perhaps therapy or a good vent of emotion like exercise could fill. When I find people who get offended by words I usually will go out of my way to use them because it is rediculous to let a grouping of letters or what they stand for have stock over your emotions.

Exalbaru wrote:
When I find people who get offended by words I usually will go out of my way to use them because it is rediculous to let a grouping of letters or what they stand for have stock over your emotions.

Because respecting other peoples' sensibilities or basic social conventions is for wusses?


Regardless, I think we have covered the original query sufficiently by this point. Moving on.